1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to safety devices used in motor vehicles and the like and more particularly to seatbelt retractors.
2. Prior Art
With the advent of an awareness of vehicle safety and government regulation, a number of safety devices such as seatbelts have been provided in vehicles and particularly in automobiles. A typical prior art seatbelt for use in automobiles and the like is fastened at one end to a take-up spool having a torque in the wind-up direction of the belt applied to it. When the wearer places the seatbelt about his body, the wearer usually pulls out some extra length of seatbelt and after the buckle is coupled to the tongue plate, the excess seatbelt is automatically wound up by the aforementioned torque. Immediately thereafter, the wearer consciously or unconsciously adjusts the tension of the seatbelt by certain motions of his body such as, for example, bending the body slightly forward, or tensing the stomach muscles thus pulling the belt out a little. However, because the torque action on the take up spool tends to pull the belt in such that the tension gradually increases, an increased amount of discomfort is caused to the wearer. As a result of this discomfort, the wearer tends to discontinue use of the seatbelt and develop an aversion to wearing same. Such an aversion to the use of seatbelts is likely to increase the chance of injury to the non-wearer in an accident.
Accordingly, the present invention attempts to solve the shortcomings of the prior art discussed hereinabove.